Aiming to promote a true ladder program that begins with the grassroots of motorsports, Andersen Promotions and the MAXSpeed Group are pleased to announce today the two winners named to their 2016 Driver Advancement Program. The drivers will each be awarded a Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda two-day test.
The two winners chosen are Dev Gore, 19, of Atlanta, Georgia and Ryan Norberg, 17, of Orlando, Florida. Kellen Ritter, 15, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was selected as an alternate should any scheduling conflicts arise with the two winners.
Through a selection process that narrowed qualified applicants down to 12 finalists, the candidates then participated in videoconference interviews with an elite panel of judges including Verizon IndyCar Series drivers and Mazda Road to Indy graduates Charlie Kimball and Spencer Pigot.
“We are excited to give Dev and Ryan their first look at the next step on the ladder,” said Michelle Kish, COO of Andersen Promotions. “The Driver Advancement Program really highlights the incredible talent at the karting level and, as usual, it is always a difficult decision to narrow the selection down to two. I want to thank Charlie and Spencer for their time and contributions in the selection process.”
Gore and Norberg will complete a two-day test in a Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda machine during the Chris Griffis Memorial Open Test, which features all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires. The test will take place on the road course of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway October 8-9, 2016.
“I am proud that through our continued partnership with Andersen Promotions, we are able to help MAXSpeed Entertainment drivers pursue their dreams,” explains MAXSpeed Group President Richard Boisclair. “Dev and Ryan are both talented, confident young men, and they will represent MAXSpeed well as they make their first step up in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder program through the USF2000 test. Congratulations to them and to everyone who submitted an application for this year’s Driver Advancement Program.”
The partnership between the Mazda Road to Indy and MAXSpeed Group was announced in June 2014 to foster the next wave of up-and-coming drivers.
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ABOUT US ROTAX MAX CHALLENGE:
The Rotax MAX Challenge (RMC) is a professional kart racing series established, supported and structured by BRP-Powertrain and its distributors. The RMC is a “one-make-engine” formula: only Rotax kart engines are allowed. There are seven different race classes: Rotax Micro MAX, Rotax Mini MAX, Rotax Junior MAX, Rotax Senior MAX, Rotax Masters MAX, Rotax MAX DD2 and Rotax MAX DD2 Masters.
The RMC is authorized and sanctioned by CIK/FIA, using Rotax kart engines, which are checked and sealed (for equal performance). The sealing is done by authorized distributors or their authorized service centers.
By following the “Rotax Sporting and Technical Regulations” of the Rotax MAX Challenge and by using a mandatory type of tire (MOJO), the success in the competition is mainly up to the skills of the driver and his/her experience in the set up of the combination of the engine and the chassis.
Authorized distributors of Rotax kart products offer their customers a national RMC program according to the “Rotax Sporting and Technical Regulations” defined by BRP-Powertrain. This results in a fair competition between semi-professional kart racers that share the same interests.
For more information, please visit www.gorotax.com.
ABOUT ANDERSEN PROMOTIONS:
Andersen Promotions has a long and successful background in promoting open-wheel championships and has also owned multiple race teams, including an Indy Lights team, in the past. The company relaunched the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2010, which it operated from 1992 through 2001. In December of 2012, Andersen Promotions founded the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires to replace the void left by the Star Mazda Series, which ceased operations after 22 years. On July 12, 2013, it was announced that Andersen Promotions would take over the licensing and operation of the Indy Lights Series from INDYCAR and now operates all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires.
For additional information, please visit www.indylights.com, www.promazdachampionship.com and www.usf2000.com.
